Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said beyond mass killings, the conflict included the ostracisation of the population, prevention of births and widespread displacement in camps. “It is hard to fathom the level of brutality...total disregard for civilian life.”

An escalation in violence forced more than 700,000 people of the Rohingya minority to flee their homes in Myanmar to Bangladesh. They have nothing but the clothes on their backs: they've had to leave everything behind. Many are living in camps and are reliant on whatever aid we can provide.

Charles Lawley, Human Appeal’s UK Media & External Affairs Coordinator, who recently returned from working with the Rohingya in Bangladesh and Myanmar says:

“Every Rohingya I have spoken to, I asked the same question – do you want to return to Myanmar one day? Uniformly the answer was “one day, but only when it is safe to return.” Following what happened just over a year ago, many struggle to see how it will ever be safe for them to return. No one I have spoken to feels it is currently safe for them. We believe that any deportation of Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar will be, by in large, against their will.”

Just €80 will provide a hungry family with food for a whole month. €130 will buy an emergency parcel, containing food, clean water and medical supplies. If we don’t act now, more innocent people will die.

Hundreds of thousands women, children and families are destitute, in grave danger and without food or medical supplies.

There are approximately 1.4m members of the Rohingya minority living in Burma/Myanmar. They regularly face persecution and attack which came to a head in 2012 when a quarter of a million people fled in fear by boat out of the country or to crowded refugee camps in Rahkine State where they live precariously, denied freedom of movement and access to housing and basic healthcare.

The Rohingya are an ethnic minority mainly based in the Rahkine State of Eastern Burma. The military government of the country have refused to accept their legal status and falsely claims that they are in fact 'Bengali' and are illegally in Burma. This means that they are denied basic healthcare and citizenship rights. At the same time, those who have fled persecution at home and are currently living as undocumented refugees in Bangladesh are denied basic assistance in that country, leaving the Rohingya in a precarious limbo.

The International Community has condemned the Burmese government for its treatment of its Rohingyan minority, but little has changed in their treatment, and there has been little support given them by any of the political parties from the majority ethnic groups.

Aid delivered directly and responsibly

As with many humanitarian crises, the challenges arising out of emergency situations must be managed carefully and according to principles of professionalism and transparency.

We are extremely grateful to our team of experienced field staff that are working in very difficult conditions. This work is carried out according to our well-established, highest professional and ethical standards. Getting aid directly to beneficiaries based solely according to their level of need and in a careful and respectful manner.

Response in Bangladesh

Human Appeal carried out a distribution of 450 food packs among the Rohingya refugees in Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. This camp is the largest camp in Balukhali.

Currentlyall distributions in the camps are being carried out in three ways:

INGOs and local NGOs are seeking permission from the local authorities to distribute aid within the camps.Howeveras according to newregulations some aid agencies are only permitted to do a portion of the distribution within the camp themselves whereas the remainder is taken by the local authorities to be distributed at a later time or date.

Random distributions are being carried out without gaining prior permission by the Government. These distributions have been carried out by other local and INGO's that have at times resulted in people being injured and in some cases may have led to deaths due to distribution mismanagement.

There are a small number of local NGOs within Cox's Bazaar who have the necessary government permission and are assisting INGOs likeHuman Appeal to carry out complete distributions within the camp.

As a result of Human Appeal's longstanding work in Bangladesh, our local knowledge, partnerships, and our standing as a credited,well-organised, INGO we are distributing all of our aid within the camps direct to beneficiaries. We are therefore able to categorically say that all of our donors' support for the Rohingya people is distributed responsibly.

Response in Myanmar

Again as a result ofitsreputation as a humanitarianorganisation, Human Appeal is working with displaced Rohingya inside Myanmar. In Rakhine State, we have provided 900 extremely vulnerable families living in camps in Sittwe and the surrounding villages with essential food items. Distribution was done over a period of 5 days with multiple distribution points arranged so that beneficiaries could easily access food parcels. Each parcel contained rice, beans, cooking oil, dried chilies and salt.